Agenda item

To present the report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation setting out the outcome of the process of engagement and resident response to the consultation on the strategic priorities outlined in the draft Council Plan 2023-28 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report which represented the culmination of an engagement and consultation exercise with staff, residents, partners and stakeholders which has been ongoing since the start of the 2022 calendar year when the Council carried out its initial engagement exercise between February and March, 2022. The aim was to gain an understanding of what the residents of Anglesey hoped to see as the focus of the Council Plan for the forthcoming 5 year period. The results of this engagement and subsequent development work identified six strategic priorities which were then consulted upon from 20 September, to 14 November, 2022. The response rate provides the Council with a 95% confidence level in the findings with more than 8 out of every 10 respondents being in agreement with the draft strategic priorities.

The Programme, Business Planning and Performance Manager said that the in excess of 2,500 responses across the year testified to the engagement and consultation approach having been comprehensive and effective in engendering a response from the Island’s residents.

In the subsequent discussion the following matters were discussed by the Committee -

·      Whether assurance can be offered that the consultation and engagement process is inclusive and meets the statutory requirements.

The Committee was advised that the outcome reflects the work undertaken by the Council with regard to consultation and engagement over the course of recent years which has recognised the importance of giving people a voice in the Council’s decision making process. It has been structured and put in place following the establishment of a Corporate Consultation and Engagement Board some years ago with Medrwn Môn and is also the result of the work on the previous Council Plan and it sits comfortably with the sustainable development principle of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act which emphasises the importance of including the public in the decisions of the Council. It is also linked to the work undertaken as part of Place Shaping and the community hubs. The report shows that the Council has created the environment in which people are willing to participate. To ensure as much inclusivity as possible multiple means of engagement  were adopted including online and digital, face to face and by distributing paper copies of the survey including an easy to read version to Council establishments, with the process being publicised through social media, press releases, radio and e-mails directly to partners.

·      The extent to which the proposed strategic priorities remain relevant and achievable.

The Committee was advised that the process has shown the priorities to be relevant as actions that support both the Council’s statutory duties and its aspirations for the Island. Whether they are all achievable over the five year course of the Plan is more difficult to answer with certainty given that circumstances can change rapidly. However a significant amount of work is going on in the background including challenge from Officers and Executive members so that assurance can be provided that areas for action to be identified will take the Council forward to achieving those priorities as well as helping create action plans and a reporting and monitoring framework that dovetail with the Council’s performance management methods so that progress can be tracked and additional and/or different actions taken if necessary.

·      The means by which the Council ensures joint planning and alignment between the Medium Term Financial Plan and the realisation of the strategic priorities over the next five years.

The Committee was advised that trying to plan the Council’s finances over the course of a five year period when the Council does not know how much funding it will receive in 2024/25 is challenging. The MTFP is reviewed and updated annually to monitor how it fits in with the delivery of the Council Plan and priorities, and where possible funding will be allocated to ensure those priorities are realised. Another key document in the delivery of the strategic priorities is the Capital Strategy. The Capital funding position is tighter than that of revenue in terms of the resources available to allow the Council to do what it wants and capital resources now also purchase less having not kept up with costs.

·      The key risks which the Council faces going forward.

The Committee was advised that being able to respond to demand and achieve everything that it wants to will be challenging. The Council Plan aims to provide a clear direction for the Council over the next five years but its realisation is dependent on the availability of resources which makes the annual financial processes all the more important in terms of ensuring resources are directed to the right places thereby making the most of opportunities as well as mitigating some of the risks. One of the main risks is the demand for services particularly in the context of an ageing population; another is the uncertainty about funding across the public sector and whether the funding the Council receives will be sufficient to enable it to continue to meet its statutory duties. The uncertainly around long term funding is also a risk and a barrier to effective planning. However the Annual Delivery Document sets out what the Council intends to achieve each year of the five year Council Plan and is a reflection of how well the Council is delivering progress against its priorities.

Having received further clarification about the conduct of the engagement and consultation process and having been satisfied as to the appropriateness of the strategic priorities the Committee resolved to recommend to the Executive –

·      That the engagement and consultation process has been undertaken as comprehensively as possible during 2022.

·      That the draft strategic priorities for the forthcoming Council Plan 2023-2 still hold firm following the engagement and consultation process.